Blood and Tears (Adopted from Caeria)
by Moonstar Dream Raven
Summary: Katara and Zuko are captured and sold to a prison mine where their bending abilities are stripped from them. Escaping the mine, they are pursued with no one to rely on but each other. (THIS IS ADOPTED FROM CAERIA, SHE WROTE THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS, THE SUMMARY AND MAIN TITLE)
1. Chapter 1

**Blood and Tears**

 **Chapter One**

Zuko hit the ground hard, the earth slamming into him with the force of a hammer. Instinctually falling back on martial techniques drilled into him from the time he would walk, Zuko tried to tuck and roll his body along the force of the blow. Unfortunately, too many other blows and lack of food had weekend him to the point that even the training of the lifetime couldn't help him. He knew, even as the ground rushed up to meet him, that it was a futile exercise.

The sound of bones snapping, and the hot flare of agony that ripped across his collarbone, proved him right.

"You'll stay down, boy, if you know what's good for you."

Rude laughter and jeering taunts rang out around him. His vision swam, black spots crowding out his vision in his one good eye. Slowly he gathered his legs beneath him, ignoring the scape of bare legs and knees across the sharp pieces of rock. His right arm now useless, Zuko shifted his weight to his left and pressed upwards. He was no longer sprawled across the ground but kneeling and bent over.

Without warning, a jagged shard of rock flew at him form his blind side, tearing the exposed skin across his shoulders. Zuko was too tired to even flinch at this latest pain. Staring down into the dirt beneath him, he panted, his breath causing fingers of pain across his ribs as he watched as three fat drops of blood splatter against the earth.

Why was he here? He couldn't remember. He knew he had to get up. He just couldn't remember why.

Then above the sound of the laughter, he heard it – a woman's voice, pleading with him to stay down. To do what they asked. To stop fighting. He shook his head and his vision swam with the motion. Stay down. She wanted him to stay down. Why? He couldn't remember, but he knew he couldn't do what the woman's voice asked of him.

He had to remember. The woman . . . her voice was still pleading. He could hear it, only now her pleas had changed. He could hear the fear and desperation. She was no longer pleading with him, but with the ugly voices that laughed and jeered.

"Leave him alone! You're killing him!"

Who were they killing?

The woman's voice mixed with the other hated voices until all that he could hear was a dull roar that filled his ears like the sound of rushing water.

Water. He was so thirsty. When was his last time he had his fill of clean, fresh water?

Water. There was something he was suppose to be remembering . . . something about water.

Beyond his sight, the woman's voice cried out in pain and frustrated rage.

He remembered. The water girl.

Rage filled him, the anger a heat that simmered through his veins. Eyes narrowed into hate-filled slits, Zuko gathered his strength and staggered to his feet. As Zuko stood, swaying slightly, the laughter around him died.

"Let 'er go." His words were soft and slightly slurred, his split bottom lip making it difficult to speak.

The hated voice of the prisoner boss, Arun, came from his left. Him, Zuko definitely remembered. "Well, would you look at that, the Little Dragon wants to go another round."

Little Dragon. The taunt, even now, made him flinch. His father had called him that. He hated that name. He hated it all the more because he knew that if these Earthbender scum knew who he really was, they'd have killed him long ago.

Zuko swung around, his steps shaky, to face the voice. His vision, already bad from the day he'd received the gift of his father's displeasure, was now almost useless. The blow to the head he'd taken earlier left him with spots that danced before his one good eye. The light seemed abnormally bright, washing out the colours and bleeding them together. It didn't help that he was also seeing double.

"Let 'er go." He'd have liked to say more, but only the clinching of his teeth kept the nausea down. Although, losing his meagre midday meal on Arun's shoes did have a certain appeal. Too bad he couldn't actually see those shoes.

He heard the movement of his opponent and lifted his good arm to block the blow he couldn't see. In the end, it did him no good. A ham-handed fist struck him below his upraised arm, impacting hard against ribs that could stand no more abuse. Zuko went down amidst cruel laughter and one horrified scream.

Arun laughed all the more seeing the crumpled form of the Fire Nation troublemaker. He should have killed him when he'd first arrived. If they hadn't needed strong backs to work the mines, he would have. Those of the Fire Nation deserved no mercy. With a flick of his wrist, he pulled a small boulder from the hillside and sent it hovering over the bloodied head if the boy at his feet.

Arm outstretched to hold the rock in mid-air he approached the struggling girl being held between two of his guards. Bending low, he grinned, showing broken yellow teeth. He laughed again when Katara pulled back from him in disgust. "Choice is yours, girl." He reached his other hand out and ran a dirty finger down her cheek. "You come with me to my hut tonight with no fighting, or the Little Dragon over there gets squashed." Arun turned his head and spat in the direction of Zuko before adding, "Fire Nation whore like you ought to be grateful for my interest, girl. You align yourself with me and I can keep you out of the mines."

There had been a time when Katara would have fought and raged at the implication that she was Zuko's whore. That had been over two weeks ago. Now, she just went limp, sagging into the hard arms that gripped her arms. Tears streamed down her face. Zuko had fought this man for her, though she didn't know why. She couldn't let him die, not like this.

It was over. "I'll be there tonight," she whispered.

"Knew you'd see it my way, girl," Arun smirked, confident in his victory. Another flick of his wrist sent the rock hurtling back against the hillside with an impact that Katara could feel through the soles of her bare feet.

"Let her go," Arun grunted at the men holding her.

Katara collapsed on the ground as her support was suddenly removed.

Bending down, Arun scooped up one end of six foot length of chain from where it was rested in the dirt. Fingering the thick, black iron links he swung the manacled end in a short arch. The other end was firmly attached to Katara's right wrist. It was these chains that linked all the prisoners that worked the mines together. There could never be any escape with twenty prisoners tied together. Arun had removed Katara and Zuko from the chain line, and then released Zuko completely before ther fight, boasting loudly that he'd wanted it to be fair. It had been anything but fair.

Now, with cold, dispassionate eyes, Arun jerked the end of the chain he held, pulling Katara across the ground to where Zuko lay in a bloodied heap. "Can't have you running away on me now?" Snapping the manacle over Zuko's left wrist, Arun gave a sharp tug that had Katara sprawling in the dirt. The two guards laughed and Katara fought to hold back her tears.

Clapping the two guards on the back, Arun set off towards the dining tenet where the guards ate, secure in his absolute power over the prisoners.

A few steps away, Arun stopped and turned back to Katara, who was still huddled in the dirt next to Zuko. "Best get the Dragon up and moving, girl. If he doesn't report to the work line by the time I finish eating –" He left the threat unfinished but the boulder imbedded in the cliff face rocked menacingly back and forth a few times before going still. Katara understood the threat all too well. When Katara didn't answer, he added with a leer, "See you tonight, girl."

Not even bothering to get to her feet, Katara crawled the remaining few feet across the ground until she reached Zuko's battered body. All the prisoners here in the mines were bruised and battered to some degree or another. If the hard work of the mining didn't beat you down, then Arun and his cronies took great pleasure in spreading as much pain and humiliation around as they could. Zuko, being a member if the hated Fire Nation, with his pride and obvious contempt for the guards, had earned more than his fair share of abuse.

Katara felt a stab of guilt. This latest round of cruelty was because of her. Arun had started his harassment as the prisoners had started the early shift. Still groggy from days of little sleep and inadequate food, Katara had been unprepared when Arun had grabbed her from behind. At her shriek of surprise and outrage, the other prisoners in the long line waiting on the morning's thin gruel had looked up as she struggled feebly in Arun's grasp.

The faces looking back at her had been of blank-eyed apathy. Any pity they felt for her was carefully concealed behind masks of indifference. Everyone there knew that to interfere on her behalf would incite the anger of Arun. No one had been willing to risk that anger except Zuko, and the Fire Nation prince didn't even like her. He blamed her, and rightly, her guilty conscience noted, for their capture and imprisonment.

Katara wiped away her tears with the heel of one grubby hand, heedless of the dirt she smeared across her face. The young prince didn't move when she touched his shoulder. For one brief, panicked moment she thought he was dead and that she was alone in this awful place. More tears, this time of relief, ran silently down her cheeks when she caught his shallow exhale in the next moment.

She didn't even bother wiping away these new tears. She'd never been much of a crier Before; Before being captured, Before being stripped of her bending abilities, her dignity and her freedom. She'd been fearless Before. She knew what fear was now in the After. Fear was seeing her brother and Aang go down beneath the onslaught of two dozen Fire Nation soldiers and being unable to help. Fear was the taste of defeat at being sold, along with Zuko, to the mine operation by an unnamed and masked firebender. Fear was knowing what was going to happen to her as soon as the sun dipped below the horizon and Arun came for her.

Fear had a new dimension now as she gazed at the still unconscious Zuko. Arun, as the guard leader, liked to linger over his meals. She had maybe an hour to get Zuko up and moving or he was dead. Even in the two weeks that they'd been in camp, she'd already seen Arun kill three of the prisoners. He's even killed one poor man as he'd stood in the long line of chained together prisoners. The guards had thought it funny to leave the dead body in shackles, pulled along by the others in the chain until the man's body had finally deteriorated enough for his arm to pull out of the shackle that held him as tightly in death as it had in life. She couldn't let Prince Zuko die, not like this, like a beaten down dog in the street. She had no doubts that the proud prince would rather die fighting and on his feet.

Was that why Zuko persisted in defying Arun, she wondered. Was Zuko looking to get himself killed in a blaze of glory as the only way out of this? Maybe that was why he'd come to her rescue. It made more sense that he had been using Arun's assault in her to give him a reason to attack, rather than just coming to her defence. Zuko, had after all, made no secret of his loathing for her. Then again, even a known enemy was better than no one at all. Zuko and Katara had history, even if that history was enmity and fighting. Katara sighed. Idle speculation would get her nowhere and her hour was slowly ticking away.

Reaching out a hand, she brushed her fingers across the side of Zuko's skull. Beneath her fingers, the short stubble that has grown in where he normally shaved his head, felt soft and silky. Quirking a small half-smile, Katara thought it was probably the only soft thing about the Fire Nation prince. The smile and thought faded as her fingers encountered the butchered remains of his ponytail, the hairs now only slightly longer than the stubble. Arun had cut the ponytail off on their first day in the prison camp. It had been the first fight between Arun and the guards and Zuko. It was also when Zuko had discovered that he could no longer summon his fire.

Katara trembled at the memory. It had also been the day she'd discovered that her waterbending skills had been stripped from her as well. They hadn't found out until days later how it had been done and by that point it was way too late for either of them. Camp rumour from the other prisoners said that once bending had been stripped, that it never came back.

She shook her head to dislodge the memories. She had to get Zuko up and moving. "Zuko?" she said, careful not to mention his title unless she was overheard. "Wake up."

The prince didn't move. Sliding her hand down, she gently shook his shoulder. "Zuko!" she hissed, a little more forcefully. They needed to get up, the line of prisoners would be moving soon. It was then that the obvious finally penetrated into Katara's muddled and tired mind. They were no longer in line, but only attached to each other. For the first time in weeks, a shadow of the old, defiant Katara surfaced. They were no longer attached to the line of other prisoners, The guards and other prisoners were eating. They were alone and the forest edge was within sight. Her new found fear rose up as well. No one escaped from this place except through death. She and Zuko were chained together, they'd never be able to travel fast enough to get away. They were both starved and weak and had no idea where in the four kingdoms they were beyond being somewhere in the Earth Kingdom. It was madness. It was suicide.

A burst of loud laughter came from the direction of the food tent, the guards, no doubt, tormenting someone else. Katara made her decision. If Zuko really did want to go out fighting, she was about to give him his fight.

Katara bent back to Zuko. "Zuko! Get up now! We're leaving."

Leaving seemed to have been the magic word, for the young man stirred. "Tara? Wha?" Zuko's speech was still slurred and he seemed to have a hard time focussing on her.

Feeling her precious time before Arun returned slipping away from them, Katara ignored Zuko's questions. "Can you get to your feet?" she questioned.

"es. Leavin'?"

Offering her own shoulder, Katara tried to get Zuko to his feet. It was difficult; the young man was both heavier and taller than she was, making the lifting awkward. But with Zuko's own stubborn determination and the whispered promise of leaving, she soon had the two of them on their feet, though Zuko swayed alarmingly.

It was lunacy. They'd never make it.

Pointing them both towards the edge to the camp, Katara started walking, supporting a stumbling Zuko alongside her.

Maybe dying fighting was better after all.

* * *

00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

* * *

 **Note:**

Please, if you leave a review for this or the second chapter, please leave it on Caeria's. Because she is the one who wrote the first two chapters. Thank you.


	2. Chapter 2

**Blood and Tears**

 **Chapter Two**

With each halting step they took away from the prison mining camp, the need to move faster beat at Katara. One dominant thought kept cadence with her heart beat and with every breath she let out through clenched teeth.

Run … Run … Run.

A shudder wound its way up her spine as she thought of Arun and what would happen to them if they were caught.

Run … Run … Run

Zuko stumbled beside her and almost brought them both to their knees. She dug her fingers into his side where her arm wrapped around his waist, tightening her grip. She didn't look at him when a low, barely audible groan escaped his lips or when she felt the warm, wetness she knew to be blood coat her fingers. They didn't have time to stop and dress wounds.

Run … Run … Run

She'd looped the six feet of chain connecting them across their shoulders to keep it from tangling around their feet. The weight if the chain seemed to grow heavier with every step they took, holding them back, slowing them down.

Run … Run … Run

Sharp edge rocks and thorny vegetation bit into the bare soles of her feet. She missed the sturdy warmth of her boots. Glancing down, she noted that she and Zuko were leaving tracks on the dirt trail they followed. No shoes and bloody feet. She had no doubt that it would make things easier for any tracking dogs to find them.

Run … Run … Run

Already she was panting hard, the weight of the chain and the struggle to keeping Zuko upright and moving draining what few reserves of strength she had left. There had been too many days of hard work, meagre meals and restless, haunted sleep. Still she ran, pushing them onward with each faltering step.

Run … Run … Run

Words were gasped into her ear. "Leave me."

The words were spoken so softly that at first Katara wasn't sure she heard them. She only registered what Zuko had said, when he repeated them. This time she stumbled, the words a shock to her already overtaxed system. Putting one foot in front of the other and practically dragging Zuko along with her, Katara let the sudden anger that rose up inside of her loose. "I will not leave you," she hissed between breaths. "First of all, we are chained together still, so leaving you is not an option."

She quickened her pace, the anger fuelling her onward, even as the beat in her head continued.

Run … Run … Run

"And … huff … even … huff … if … huff … I … huff … could … huff … I … wouldn't … huff … leave you."

Katara stumbled again. This time Zuko caught her and brought her to a halt. The sudden stop caused the heavy chain looped over their shoulders to slide to the ground with a ringing clang that caused Katara to wince. The voice inside of her that urged to her to run wailed out its protest. Urgently she pulled at him. "They will be coming soon. We need to get as far away as possible."

"Not like this. Stop. Catch your breath. We need to think, not run like scared rabbits."

Realizing that he was right, Katara fought down the urge to keep moving, the need to run still sounding loudly in her ears, Trying to focus on something else, Katara took a step away from Zuko and for the first time since they'd left the camp, she looked up into Zuko's face, and gasped. The eye with the burn scar was swollen completely shut while a long gash zigzagged across his right temple. Blood had run down the side of his face and down onto his bare chest, leaving streaks of bright red among the dirt and mud that covered him. Where the blood had mixed with the dirt, a black crust had started to form. Zuko's split bottom lip was also swollen. More blood oozed slowly from it, running down his chin and mixing with the blood that was already splattered across his chest.

He wasn't standing completely straight either, but stood slightly hunched over with one of his arms held tightly against his ribs while the other hung limp at his side.

But that wasn't what worried her. Zuko's good eye wasn't focused on her, but somewhere over her left shoulder. The white portion of his eye was shot through with red, as if many of the blood vessels had been broken. The most worrying thing though was the size of his pupil. In the early morning sunlight, his pupil should have been contracted to a pinprick, instead, his pupil was large, almost eclipsing the golden hue of his iris.

"Zuko, your eyes –" she began.

He cut her off, his voice harsh with his own gasps for air. "Tell me where we are."

She stiffened at his curt tone. She answered, but from her own clipped words, there was no mistaking her anger. "I took the main trail out of camp." Seeing the scowl that marked his face at her words, she added in her defence, "I know that makes it easier for them to find us, but it was also the easiest to navigate. You're too heavy for me to carry."

Zuko's head tilt slightly and he scowled, seemingly in thought. "The main trail – the same one they brought us in on?" he asked.

"Yes."

"There was a river and waterfall. Have we passed it yet?"

Katara shook her head, and then realized he wouldn't be able to see her movement. Wondering what he was thinking, she said aloud, "No, it's still up ahead of us."

"We'll head there, then float down river."

He was insane. "The river is off the main trail. Getting there will slow us down."

Zuko snorted in disgust. "We'll never outrun them anyways, not like we are. We need to get to the river. They won't expect that. We should be able to find something – a fallen log, brush, something – that will allow us to float downriver."

Katara was staring at him in disbelief. "Are you crazy? We are weighted down with six feet of chain. We'll both drown before we get down river. Not to mention, you can barely stand on your own, there is no way you can hold on to a floating log."

Zuko fixed sightless eyes on her. "Right now, we don't have a choice." His face seemed to darken and his next words were forced out through clenched teeth. "I'll hold on. If they think I'm just going to roll over and die quietly, they are greatly mistaken."

The words were said with such fury that Katara had no doubts that is Zuko still had his bending abilities that his fists and arms would be wreathed in flames at this moment. It wasn't like they had much choice at this point anyway. "Fine," she conceded, "we will go down river."

Zukon gave her a twisted smile that lacked any warmth and a short bow. "If my lady will lead on . . ." He gestured outward with his hand before wrapping it once again around his ribs.

She didn't think he'd find it amusing to know that he'd gestured back the way they'd come. Katara wisely decided to keep that bit of knowledge to herself.

* * *

Arun stretched his arms wide as he ducked through the low opening of the mess tent. He was feeling good. The mine was above quota for the week and he was expecting a bonus from his employers for his efficient handling of the prisoners.

He cracked his knuckles. Life was good. A smile spread across his face as he contemplated his two latest prisoners. Life was very good indeed. The Fire Nation whelp was the perfect distraction. The boy was stubborn and offered much amusement. And while Arun often wondered why the boy had been sold to him by one of his own nation, Arun knew better than to ask questions. The pouch of gold he'd received to take on the boy and Water tribe girl that was with him, was more than enough reason to accept the gift the fates had dropped at his feet.

The girl had made the deal all that sweeter. Perhaps he wouldn't wait until the shift was over to claim her. It'd been awhile since he'd had a woman with as much fire as that one.

Chuckling, he headed for the yard where he'd left the unusual pair. Not seeing them where he'd left them, he wondered if perhaps they'd already gone down into the mines.

"Nazir!" he yelled.

Nazir, his second in command, poked his head out of the supply hut a few seconds later.

"Did you take the Little Dragon and the Water girl down into the mines?"

Nazir spat a stream of Betel nut juice between brown stained teeth. "Not me. I haven't seen the Fire brat," he said, wiping his chin with his thumb.

Arun growled in irritation. Hiders always put work behind schedule. It took time for the guards to look for hiding prisoners. He hated hiders. When he found the two of them, he'd kill the boy this time. He didn't care how much he'd been paid to keep the boy alive. When, and if – and it was a big if – the cloaked and masked person that had sold the pair to him came back as promised, he could always claim a mining accident. Besides, as far as he was concerned, one more dead Fire Nation soldier was never a bad thing.

"Get two of the guards and search the camp. When you find the boy and the girl, bring them to me."

* * *

Zuko gave the girl a twisted smile and a short mocking bow, holding in the grunt of pain that wanted to force itself past his lips. "If my lady will lead on," he said, gesturing vaguely off to the side with his good arm.

She took the hint, although he could hear her grumbling, the occasional word coming clear. Most were not complimentary of either him or his parentage. Fortunately, he was entirely too tired to either care or get angry. He was in considerably more pain than he let on. Each gasping breath sent a band of constricting fire across his ribs. His left arm was useless and hung limp; his collarbone definitely broken. His eyes were the most worrisome. He could see nothing out of his scarred eye and the vision in his remaining eye was fading to black around the edges. What sight he had was blurred, the images doubled. Dizziness and nausea rolled through him if he tried to focus on any one thing for too long.

If it weren't for the girl, he'd make his stand and die on his feet like a warrior . . . like a Prince. He'd be damned before he'd die in the dirt of an Earthbender prison mine.

With his good eye half-lidded, he watched the blur of the Water girl as she gathered up the chain that bound them, the heavy links clinking together. The sound reminded him of happier times in the palace, the sound of metal wind chimes ringing through the court gardens. Zuko knew he'd never see those gardens again. The Avatar, his only means of redemption, was dead. Zuko's honour was little more than ashes. There were only two things his remaining honour demanded of him now – return the girl to her people and find the one who'd sold him to the mine. He would accomplish both tasks before he died.

Ignoring the continued mumbling from the girl, he focused on not showing his pain as the chain was once more looped across his shoulders. He would not show his weakness.

* * *

00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

* * *

 **Note:**

Please, if you leave a review for this or the second chapter, please leave it on Caeria's. Because she is the one who wrote the first two chapters. Thank you.


	3. Chapter 3

**Blood and Tears**

 **Chapter Three**

They had made a lot of progress after their short rest - Katara noted to herself - considering the condition Zuko was in. It had been awhile since they had turned off the main trail and this made traveling much harder. What with the branches pulling at them as they passed, as though trying to hold them back. The undergrowth was no better, for it caused Zuko to stumble almost causing them both to fall, and Katara knew that if he fell, there would be no getting the prince up again. But she had to admit, it was still manageable. Now she could hear the sound of the waterfall in the far distance. The sound felt like an encouraging beacon, like a light at the end of a dark tunnel. With every step she took, it led her closer to a possible freedom. But which freedom? She wasn't too keen on Zuko's idea, but the more she thought about it, it was beginning to look more and more like their only option. But she wouldn't tell Zuko that. She could imagine the smirk that would play on his face with the knowledge that she had succumb to his reasoning. No, she wouldn't let that happen.

She pushed the thoughts out of her head and began listening to Zuko's breathing. It sounded raspy and uneven. This worried her. She wondered how much more he could take before even his stubbornness failed him. But she decided not to linger on that, for it would do neither of them any good. Instead, she concentrated on the sound of the distant waterfall and with every step they took, the closer they would be.

* * *

Meanwhile, Zuko's awareness flickered in and out. He wanted so much to just stop; to lie down and simply sleep. He hurt. Pain had become his whole world. Two things kept him moving now – responsibility to the girl and revenge for whoever had put him here. With each step, he wrapped the pain around himself and vowed that those responsible would pay.

* * *

Back at the prison camp, Arun's temper had not improved, as he went around camp trying to find something or someone to get his mind off of the missing two prisoners. Unfortunately, all the other prisoners were down working the mines, so he had to find another way of occupying his mind while he waited for the two guards to drag the pair to him. His mind wondered onto the Fire Nation boy and how he would end the brat's life. Many thoughts crossed Arun's mind before he finally made a decision that seemed to please him greatly. He would make him suffer slowly before finally bringing him death and he would make the water tribe girl watch the whole thing. That would teach her. A smile played upon his face as he thought about it. But soon that smile faded as he saw the returning two guards coming before him empty handed.

"Well?" Arun fumed. "Where are they?"

He noticed the two guards kept their distance from him. Not that it would do any good if he decided to rent his anger on them. But he did note that it would give them a chance to react - seeing as they both were Earthbenders as well.

"Well?" Arun asked yet again, his temper not improving. He hated being kept waiting.

"They're not in the camp." One of the guards answered, taking a step back. And the other soldier followed suit.

"What do you mean they're not in the camp?!" Arun shouted. He was having trouble trying to maintain his anger at this point. How could the guards not find a couple of prisoners, especially since the one was so beat up he could hardly move.

"We looked everywhere." The other guard spoke up, taking yet another step back for good measure. "We looked in all the usual hiding places where prisoners tend to hide. But they seem to be unoccupied."

Arun's hands became fists at his side as he stormed passed the guards, who quickly gave him space. He was determined to find the two missing prisoners. He couldn't imagine them getting very far. He knew for sure that the firebrat was injured really badly and it would be impossible for him to get very far. And with the water girl, she was chained to him, and she wouldn't be strong enough to carry him anywhere, let alone drag him along.

He went straight to where he had left the pair earlier that day. He knew that if he was going to find any answers, it would be there. After all, he had left the fire boy bleeding which would make a perfect trail to follow. There would be no escaping him, no one ever escaped him. That is what made his prison camp the best, and he prided himself on that. The only way of escape was through death, and he made sure that wasn't very easy either. And he would make the boy suffer unlike any other, before granting him that.

When Arun came to the spot, he looked down at the ground. At first he didn't notice anything. So he bent down and looked closer. A grin appeared upon his face as he saw the blood that was sure to be the firebrat's. He also noticed the scrapes along the ground which was bound to be the girl dragging him along and his feeble attempts to walk. He followed all of this with his eyes, as far as he could see from where he kneeled. But it was all he needed to see, for he knew what direction they had taken.

"Get the Wolfhounds ready," He called back to the two guards he was sure were behind him, his eyes never leaving the forest. "We're going hunting."

Arun could hear the pair of feet fading away into the direction where they kept the fearsome animals - his pets. There would be no escaping him and the two slaves would find that out soon enough. There would be no place for them to hide nor any distance for them to run. If they wanted to take off like an animal, then he would hunt them down like one.

* * *

Katara had never been so grateful to hear the sound of rushing water. She pushed through the scrub brush and weeds that grew alongside of the river, her feet long since numb to the briars and sharp-edged stones. The bloody footprints she and Zuko had been leaving had grown darker with every step into the harsh environment. Katara was limping heavily now.

She couldn't even wipe the sweat that ran into and stung her eyes, as she was certain that only her tight grip on Zuko kept him upright and moving. She was terrified that if he fell, she'd never be able to get him up again. She was also afraid that he would just die on her if they stopped. Zuko's ashen countenance and blood-streaked body reminded her very much of ice demons, the cursed walking dead, from her Gran-Gran's old fireside tales. She shook the thought from her head, she didn't want to think of him as dead. She needed him, for he was all she had left. Even if they were enemies, it was better than being alone in an unfamiliar place.

Now the river lay before her. Oh how she missed being able to feel it's cooling strength flow through her and its ever changing graceful movements. Now, all she had was its beauty to the eyes who beheld it and how it sparkled in the sun's light. But even though it would not respond to her anymore, she still loved the sight of it. She gave out a sigh with the thought of her bending gone and brought herself back into reality.

She looked around with her eyes for perhaps something large enough to hold both her and Zuko while drifting down the river. She was hoping against all odds that they wouldn't have to drag the log too far to the river, for she didn't know how possible that would be. After all, she was still chained to Zuko and he was in no means well enough to help in any way. But she knew she would need his help, and somehow she would have to revive him long enough for him to do so. But how could she without her bending? With her bending, she could have healed Zuko and he'd be well again and able to help. Then a smile came across her face as she remembered when she was little and her brother accidently fell through the ice. When their father had gotten him out, he was so wide awake from the shock of being in the ice cold water. That was it! She just had to take Zuko into the river and hopefully it would be cold enough to revive him long enough for him to help.

"Thank you Sokka" Katara whispered to herself, as a couple of uninvited tears escaped her eyes.

She would give the water a go with Zuko, making him walk into the river with her. But first she had to see where a log could be found. Fortunately, fortune smiled upon her, and not far from where they were, Katara spied a log which had found itself in the calm waters where the river forked a little. The water was calmer there and seemed to flow gently around the log. The log itself was stopped by two large boulders on either side of the log, which stopped it from going further down that part of the river. It would be perfect, and it gave Katara a very good reason to drag Zuko into the river. So she decided to put her plan into action and into the water they went.

The shock of moving into the cold water revived Zuko enough that he was able to help Katara push the fallen log further out into the swift-moving current. With her help and his last remaining strength, he was able to wedge himself into the tangled branches that still adorned the log. Katara watched as Zuko's one good eye slid closed. He was still conscious but not by much and she knew that if they were going to survive she'd have to work for the both of them. Zuko would be little help to her now. For once, though, she was rather glad of Zuko's unwavering persistence and stubborn pride. If he'd fallen before they'd got to the river, they would have been captured for sure.

Struggling with the log, Katara made sure that Zuko was as firmly attached as she could make him. If he slid off the log, his weight and the weight of the chain would drown them both. Taking a deep breath, she pushed away from the shore. A few seconds later, the Fire Nation prince let out a shuddering sigh and slipped once more into unconsciousness. Truthfully, she was amazed that he had held on as long as he had.

Captured. Just the thought of what would happen to them if they were captured sent a shiver down her spine that had nothing to do with the cold water around her. Her lips compressed into a hard line; capture was not an option.

Sitting up a little more from where she straddled the log, Katara wrapped her hand around Zuko's nearest wrist. He was all she had left; everything else was truly gone now. The tears that she'd refused to cry while they had been captured slid down her face to splash into the river. She cried for everything that was gone- sweet Aang and her stalwart brother, for the home she was sure she'd never see again, for the future of the world that had no Avatar in it, and then she cried for herself and Zuko. Finally, exhaustion catching up with her, she leaned over Zuko's slumped body and let herself rest.

* * *

00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

* * *

 **Note:**

This Chapter is a combination of both Caeria's and my writing. From here on in, the story will be written by me, using Caeria's original basic outline for it. And of course, I will be putting in my own ideas as well. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and that you enjoy those chapters that will follow.


	4. Chapter 4

**Blood and Tears**

 **Chapter Four**

Katara awakened to the slight nudge of sand and gravel under her feet. She rubbed her eyes and looked around.

She found there was a slight bend in the river and their log had found itself stopped at the other side of the river. And judging by the setting sun, she had been out for several hours.

The vegetation had changed some around the river, which meant they had travelled quite a distance. Instead of gravel and dirt along the river's edge, there was sand. This pleased her, for the sand would be softer on their feet for walking which meant fewer chances for a blood trail behind them.

She smiled in gratitude, so far things were looking up to them. Now all she needed was to find a place where they could hide for a while. At least until they were both well enough for travel. But where would they go? She had no idea. She wasn't even sure as to where they were, except somewhere in the Earthkingdom. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and keep her mind at the present situation.

Her eyes scanned the scenery before her. There were plenty of bushes everywhere and trees sprung up here and there before retreating into a forest. There was a small rocky hill covered in vegetation, bushes all around and a tree overlooking it. The hill itself was laid out between the sand and where the sandy beach turned into lush grass of paradise. Flowers seemed to pop up everywhere, creating a picturesque look of natural beauty.

Katara couldn't help but admire the beauty around her, forgetting about her present predicament, even just for a moment. As she continued to take in the beauty that was before her, her eyes came once more to the hill.

She noticed blackness behind the bushes at the front of the hill. Her heart danced with hope. Could this actually be a hidden cave instead of a hill? She had to find out, hoping against all odds that it was. For it was so well hidden, it was very easily mistaken as a hill and therefore easily missed.

She went to move herself from the log and was snapped back into reality by the clink of chains. In all the beauty and excitement, she had forgotten that she was still chained to Zuko and the FireNation Prince was still not awake.

She sighed in disbelief. How could she possibly forget such a thing? She didn't know how, but she did know was that she was somehow going to have to wake him and get him up. This wasn't something she could do on her own and the chain wasn't long enough for her to go exploring on her own. She would have to take Zuko. So she gently shook the Prince's shoulder to wake him.

* * *

Zuko was in a dreamless sleep when he was awakened by a sharp pain in his shoulder which seemed to run down his still useless arm. He held his eyes tightly shut and a small painful grunt escaped him.

"Sorry" came a familiar voice. And then the pain seemed to subside.

He opened his eyes trying to remember what happened, and where he was. His vision was very blurry and he couldn't make out anything for a while, except for blurs of colours which made no sense to him. He felt completely numb from the waist down, and completely stiff from the waist up, which also confused him. And why could he move his one arm and what was the pain for? And what's that smell?

He shook his foggy mind to try and clear it to make sense, which only caused him to feel dizzy. So he decided to look in the direction of where the voice had come and figure things out that way.

At first all he could see was a blur of blue and brown. But as the sight in his good eye returned – somewhat – the blur took the shape of the water girl - Katara. That's when everything came pounding back at him, and he dropped his head in the realization of it all.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, concern in her voice.

He took a deep agonizing breath, looked up and scanned the area.

"Why have we stopped?" Zuko demanded "We should be going as far as we can. We should hit a village or something along here."

"Look, we need to get out of the water. Night is coming and the water will be much colder then it is now." Katara said sternly "We won't survive the night. What we need is shelter. A place we can hide until we are well enough to continue on."

Zuko couldn't see the details of her face, but with the tone of her voice, he could tell she was upset with him. But at the moment he couldn't care. Yes, she was probably right, but he couldn't see a place here. So it didn't make any sense to him why they shouldn't continue down the river until they found such a place.

"And I suppose you found a place." Zuko said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Actually I have"

Katara had said that with such determination and seemed completely proud of herself that Zuko scanned the area before him once more. But all he could make out were bushes, trees, probably more bushes, a hill and, oh, more bushes.

"Get us moving. We are continuing downstream" Zuko demanded. He could begin to feel the pain in his chest again.

"You honestly can't see it" Katara was excited now; he could tell by her voice she was pleased to have one up on him "The hill is actually a cave, a secret cave. I'm sure of it."

Zuko couldn't take it. The pain from the waist up was all coming back to him. He didn't have time for her games. But before he could protest, she was already off the log and trying to pull it onto the beach. Zuko gave a sigh, untangled himself from the log's extra branches and dejectedly helped out with getting the log inland.

Once Zuko was out of the river, the pain in his legs began to sharpen and he once again had to lean onto the water girl. Much to his distaste, he felt weak, but he wasn't going to let her know how much pain he was going through. No, he would suffer in silence and not show the weakness he felt.

Once they were sure the log would not float away, they made for the so called cave. But the closer they came to it, the stronger the scent was. Zuko couldn't understand why the smell wasn't bothering the Katara as much as it was him. By the time they reached it, Zuko was having troubles trying to breath. Every breath was an effort, his lungs were rejecting the foul smell.

"I knew it was a cave!" Katara said excitedly "The smell is not too bad, it is liveable anyways."

Zuko wanted to say 'Speak for yourself', but he was trying to concentrate on breathing. He never even gave her an angry glare for her gloating. He was too afraid if he stopped concentrating on breathing he would suffocate.

Zuko could tell that she was very excited that she had one up on him, but then when they went in the cave, that all changed.

Zuko gaged, lucky for him his stomach was empty. Katara must have had the same problem, for all if a sudden he felt himself being roughly turned away from the cave and half dragged away as fast as was possible.

It wasn't until they were by the log when Zuko was able to catch his breath and breath in somewhat fresh air, for he could still smell the foul smell. But it wasn't as strong.

"Come on Zuko, help me move the log back into the river." Katara asked.

"No"

Zuko's survival instincts kicked in. It was something his Uncle had enforced in him during the three years he spent searching for the avatar. Zuko found himself grateful for those teachings.

"No?" Katara asked "In case you didn't notice, there is such a foul smell in that cave, there is no way we'll be able to breath. And in case you forgot, we need to breathe to survive. Oh, or is it you want me to admit that you were right. Ok, I admit it. Are you happy now?"

Zuko could tell she was upset that he wouldn't help. And she spoke to him as though he were stupid or something. This infuriated him.

"No I'm not. And for your information, I could smell it ever since I woke up." Zuko shouted back. The pain in his chest became so severe that he doubled over in pain. He decided not to lose his temper like that again. Once the pain subsided, he looked at her.

"You can smell it from the river? Really? Then why can't I?" It was a question, he could tell by her voice and words that she didn't believe him and she was trying to hold back her own anger.

"Yes," Zuko answered in a much calmer voice. He decided to explain himself. "There was a general of which was a great friend with my Uncle. He had been severely injured in battle and his eye sight was beginning to go. When my Uncle went to visit him when I was younger, he would bring me along. I was always so amazed how he could hear the tiniest of whispers and could smell the faintest of scents. I asked my Uncle once after one of these visits, and my Uncle told me that when you lose one of your senses, your other senses hype up to help compensate for what you have lost. I guess since my eye sight isn't very well right now, my sense of smell has improved greatly."

Oh how he hated to admit that last part. To admit that he was weak, that he was losing the battle. But what she said after, he hated even more.

"I'm so sorry Zuko, I didn't know." Katara said. Her voice completely sincere.

"I don't need your pity." Zuko sneered as he turned away from her, or at least as much as his body would allow. He still needed her to keep him standing and moving.

"We're going back to that cave and taking a look inside." He demanded. "It's the perfect spot for us to hide, what with the smell." He could sense her rejection without even looking at her or even her saying a word. "I know it smells like trash, but it will mask up our own scent. If there are any dogs tracking us, they won't be able to smell us. If we're lucky, they'll go mad from the foul smell and never come back. And if the owners know that smell, they won't be back either"

He didn't and wouldn't mention that luck was never on his side. It had always been that way ever since he was born. If something bad was going to happen, it always did. But if he had a chance to stop it, he was going to give it all he was worth. But convincing her might be another issue. He had to try and convince her to stay and give her cave another chance. He had a feeling that she didn't have any idea as to the owner of such a smell was, seeing as she was from the cold area of the world, and he clearly doubt that she had come across one when she was journeying with the avatar. These creatures were not very common, but his Uncle had taught him to stay away from them and never anger nor scare one. Zuko himself had only seen one in his life, and that was while in search of the avatar. They had come across it and his Uncle had pulled him back, telling him that the creature was a furious beast when angered with its powerful teeth and razor sharp claws. But to scare it, is a punishment worse than death, for the smell of it tells other creatures to stay away. But when scared, its spray is much worse of a smell and sticks onto whatever it the spray hits for life. No amount of washing can get the foulness of the smell off. His Uncle's warning was clear in Zuko's head, and he knew he was heading for danger. But he also knew that if the cave wasn't used recently, then it would be the perfect place to hide. He had to find out. His Uncle had taught him how to tell such things, and he was about to take those teachings and put them to the test. Zuko decided not to tell the water girl what kind of creature the smell came from, or else he would lose the fight to stay. For no one, once they knew, would want to be around a skunkbear. The perfect protection.

"Look Zuko, I could barely breath in there the smell was so bad. I don't think we're going to get very far with it." Katara tried to reason.

But Zuko wasn't done yet, he knew he had to try and convince her. But he did remember something that his Uncle had told him about creatures and caves.

"It's quite possible that the creature that lived there only lived in the entrance of the cave and never ventured further in." Zuko began.

"So?" Katara sounded impatient to Zuko.

"So," Zuko tried again. "If that is the case, then perhaps the back of the cave will be more comfortable for breathing."

"Zuko, if it's in one part of the cave, it's in the whole cave." Katara pointed out to him, but Zuko wasn't done yet.

"I wouldn't rule it out just yet." Zuko remembered his Uncle always telling him that. Oh how he missed his Uncle. He would have known what to do and how to get her to understand.

"Ok," Katara tried to reason. "So, say the cave smells better in the back, who is to say the creature won't come back?"

"My Uncle taught me how to know if a creature has made any recent visits to a place or whether it has left." Zuko pointed out. He really hoped that he was convincing her. "I can assure you, I will know."

"Fine." That was all she said.

So once again they made their way to the cave entrance with Katara helping Zuko. And once again, the smell was so strong, that Zuko gaged, and once again he was grateful for an empty stomach. As they made their way as quickly as they could into the cave, Zuko gave a quick check around to see if there were any signs of recent activity. To his relief, there were not. As they reached the back, they found it was still the same and Katara gave that look as, 'I told you so'. However, as they turned to leave, they found that there was yet another entrance on the side. It was very easy to miss, for it was align with the back wall of the cave. Lucky for them, they had turned on the right side to see it and they were right up to the back wall. But just looking into the cave, one would never see this other entrance.

Zuko pointed to Katara to venture in. He couldn't speak, the smell was over powering and between trying to breath and gaging, he was having troubles. Katara took the hint and they managed to squeeze in, for this entrance wasn't very big at all, but quit narrow.

Once inside the second half of the cave, they found the air much nicer. It was actually quit fresh once you moved to the back part away from the entrance. There was a fresh breeze blowing into this section through vent like holes in the ceiling, which made it very comfortable. It did let in a bit of light which reflected in a small pool of water located in the middle of the cave. This made it easier to see within the cave.

Now it was Zuko's turn to have the upperhand and give Katara the 'I told you so look' - which he did.

"Don't say a word." Katara warned him.

Zuko replied with a smirk and a weak laugh. He was pretty pleased with himself.

Not a word was said between them as they made their way out of the cave. Zuko was grateful for that, for his chest was throbbing and he was getting weaker with every painful step. He was finding he had to concentrate just to keep moving.

Once they got back to their log, Zuko found he had to rest a bit. He was tired, but he didn't want to admit it. So he simply said they needed to think things out first before anything else. This turned out to be true because while he was resting, he watched Katara as she ripped a piece of her tattered water clothes and placed it onto one of the log's extra branches, which puzzled Zuko.

"What are you doing?" He finally asked.

"I am hoping that if Arun and his men find this log further down the river," Katara began to explain "That they will think we exited the river there and will pass our hiding place. I mean, with the log gone from here, they may bypass this place and we remain hidden from them."

"That's a pretty good plan," Zuko complimented her. He remembered how his Uncle was always lecturing him over not thinking ahead during the past three years and was glad that she had. "Good for thinking ahead."

He could tell that Katara couldn't believe what she had just heard, and to be honest, he couldn't believe what he had just said to her. And he wished that he hadn't. Once again, his weakness was showing again.

"Don't think too much on that." He said as an afterthought. And he looked away from her, not bearing to see her looking at him like that.

Zuko, very painfully, helped Katara push the log into the river, and watched as it floated further down it. Then he watched as she went and grabbed a branch with leaves attached to the end of it and began cleaning away their tracks in the sand.

Zuko was having a hard time trying to stay awake and alert. His eye lids kept wanting to drop and he could start to feel far away from everything around him. But he tried to fight the feeling. But in truth, the pain was getting to be too great for him to bare. And once again he cursed himself for being so weak. His Father was right, he was a weak fool. He was so glad his Father couldn't see him now.

* * *

Arun was very pleased with the speed they were tracking the two escaped prisoners. His powerful wolfhounds were pushing through the undergrowth without any problems. The only thing holding them back, were the men holding their leashes. With their strength, even bushes bent and snapped when they appeared in their path. Arun and his men still had to pick their way through, what with the braches that reached over the path of the tracking wolfhounds.

Arun smiled. He loved the blood lust that his wolfhounds showed in their eyes when tracking or in battle. And he knew nothing could escape them once they got the scent. He remembered being fascinated by the beasts ever since he was little and he had to have one. When he was older, he purchased four pups. He had trained them to hunt and track, but also to follow his orders, even in blood frenzy. All his hard work paid off. They were loyal only to him, and would follow any of his orders at any time, for any reason. They were his pets, his babies and he loved them.

Arun watched his babies plough through the undergrowth as they continued on their hunt. And his mind wondered back onto the two escaped prisoners and what he would do once he caught them. Which he knew would be soon enough. He had decided that he would drag the pair of them back to camp, letting his pets growl and snap at them but never touching them. No he wanted to be the one to torture them once they got back to the prison camp. He would use them as an example to the other prisoners to avoid this from occurring again. And then, once he had finished with his fun, he would feed them to his wolfhounds as a treat for being so good. That was his plan, and his smile deepened with every step they took which drew him closer and closer to them.

But then his smile turned into a frown, for his wolfhounds had stopped.

They had come to the edge of a river where a slight fork seemed to have formed. The wolfhounds were searching everywhere on the bank for a fresh smell of the scent. Arun himself looked at the river fork and watched the flow of the water in both halves. He noticed that the one closer to them was much slower and pretty calm compared to the other one.

"What do we do?" One of Arun's men asked him as the wolfhounds didn't seem to be making any more progress. "Which way do we go?"

Arun watched as one of his wolfhounds waded into the water and began sniffing the two boulders found just past the entrance of the calmer side of the forked river. It gave out a howl and Arun knew it had picked up their scent on the boulders. He watched as the other wolfhounds followed and began sniffing the air for any more of the scent. Arun knew however, that although his wolfhounds could pick up a scent even through the breeze, with the amount of moister in the air from the nearby waterfall, there was no way his babies would be able to here. So once again, he watched the river and made his decision.

"We'll cross this fork in the river and follow the other one." Arun began barking out orders. "Take two wolfhounds to the other side of it and between the two pairs, we'll find out which side the fire brat and water girl left the river at. Then we'll let the wolfhounds follow then scent again."

"What if they took the other fork in the river?" One of his men asked.

"Then we'll turn back and try that one. The river runs faster in the one we're following and if they managed to get a log or something, that is the one they would have taken." Arun explained. "And if they ended up going on foot through the other fork, they can't travel very fast with a chain and the way the fire brat is. We'll catch them in no time even with the delay."

That bit of logic seemed to do it. His men began following his orders and once again they were on the hunt. Arun knew it would only be a matter of time, before his pets found the scent again.

* * *

Katara had finally lain down. She was completely exhausted, what with having to half carry; half drag the half conscious Fire Prince while trying to see that they were well hidden. But now she felt better about their position and that nothing more could be done.

She sighed in relief. She looked over at Zuko who was lying unconscious at the other end of the cave, as far as the chain would permit. She had laid herself down at the other end, away from him. They were enemies, even though they were chained together. And she knew that, but she also knew that their survival depended on them working together.

She gave a shiver. The night seemed to be getting colder as it drew on. She curled herself up in a ball, hoping that her own body heat would help her keep warm. Oh how she missed sitting by the fire back at home, wrapped up in the thick blankets GranGran always had for them. A smile appeared on her face as she remembered those really cold nights, GranGran would take both her and her brother up in her arms and they would sleep together all warm and snug.

She looked over at Zuko and frowned. There was no way she was going to do that with him. She'd freeze to death before she would and still she'd refuse. She tried crawling up into a tighter ball and closed her eyes. She hoped that perhaps she would fall asleep and wake up to the morning heat.

For what seemed like hours of shivering, she once again found herself thinking of her options. And once again she came to the only option she had. He was running a very high fever, which meant his body would be very warm. She on the other hand was very cold and her body would be very cold. If truth be told, her body would bring down his fever and his body would warm her up. Therefore working out for both of them. This was the practical Katara speaking.

She shook her head at the thought. He was the Crown Prince of the FireNation. He was above everyone and that she was little more than a peasant to him. He was the one who was always trying to take Aang away, away from the world…away from her. Tears sprang up uninvited. She squeezed her eyes shut to try to make them stop. Once they did, she wiped away the ones that had escaped her.

She shivered again and tried to roll into a tighter ball. But no matter what she did, she couldn't get warm. To her, the night just seemed to get colder. And again a fight came up within her head, with practical Katara saying it was the only way they would survive and the stubborn Katara reminding her he was the enemy and everything the FireNation had done. She struggled internally for some time before a side finally won, and a decision made.

She gave a sigh of defeat. As much as she hated to admit it, she had no other choice, not if she and Zuko were going to survive. And right now Zuko needed her, even if his stubborn pride would never let him admit it, and she needed him as well. So with that final thought, she got up and went over to where the unconscious prince laid on his back. She took a deep breath and laid down right beside him. She felt very uncomfortable doing so; after all he was the Crown Prince of the FireNation, what right had she. 'Survival.' She kept telling herself, she had no other choice. Katara leaned up next to him; already she could feel his body heat warming her. She laid her head on his shoulder and an arm around his waist and closed her eyes.

Though she felt very uncomfortable, she couldn't help but begin to relax. Zuko's body temperature was coursing through her frozen limbs, like lying next to the fire on a cold night. He even smelled of burning ambers, which made it all the more like lying next to the fire. Katara scolded herself for the feeling. She hoped and prayed that he wouldn't wake until the morning came and she was at the other end of the cave.

Then she fell into a deep sleep with dreams of warm summer days under the sun and of cold winter nights beside the fire.

* * *

00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

* * *

 **Note:**

Sorry this chapter is so long, and I will apologize in advance for the next chapter because I know it will be long as well, that is going by Caeria's outline notes for the next chapter. I wrote this one and the outline came from Caeria. I just elaborated and add a few things here and there. And I will let you know, the wolfhounds and skunkbear are both my ideas. In the Avatar series, you see animals which are a combination of one of more actual animals in our world. And if you see something usual like in our world (like the Earth King's bear) it's a treat to those people (paying a lot of money to get tickets to sit next to the bear). So I thought since there was a need for some animals, and I am not familiar with the animals in the series, why not make some up that may fit right into the world. Hope you like them.

I am always open to questions and feedback on this, and I do reply back. That is, as long as you are signed in and I am able to message your account on here.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know I enjoyed writing it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Blood and Tears**

 **Chapter Five**

When Zuko opened his eyes, he found himself back home in the throne room, and in the presence of … he couldn't believe his eyes.

"Father?"

His Father turned around to face him, a look of question upon his face.

"What?" came his Father's voice.

Zuko realized he was not showing his Father the proper respect he needed too. So he quickly moved from lying to a kneeling and then a bowing position with his face to the floor and his one good hand to his forehead on the floor. He still couldn't move his other arm. He realized he was wearing his royal robes. Zuko took this as a good sign, but the question in his Father's face, he took as disapproval.

"I am sorry Father." Zuko apologized still in the bowing position.

"Sorry for what?" his Father asked.

Zuko looked up at his Father. Of course his Father would make him face his failures.

"I am sorry Father," Zuko began. He always found it hard to talk to his Father, especially since his Mother was gone. "You banished me and tasked me with capturing the Avatar. I have spent three long years trying to complete this task. Now with the Avatar gone, I can no longer regain my honour." Zuko couldn't take it anymore. He knew he would seem weak to his Father, but he was desperate. Tears were beginning to fall, he bowed to his Father again so he wouldn't see. "Please Father, take me back. I promise I will be the son you always wanted. I will never fail you again. Please Father."

Zuko sobbed silently as he waited for his Father to respond. But when non came, he treid one more time.

"I have learned so much Father." Zuko stayed bowed down, still hiding the tears that refused to stop falling. "I am stronger now than I have ever been."

Zuko tried to take a deep breath, but his chest was starting to hurt. He couldn't understand why his Father wasn't saying anything to him. Was he still a failure in his Father's eyes? But then why was he dressed in his royal robes? The pain was getting greater, and so was Zuko's desperation.

"Please Father," he tried again "Please give me a chance to prove myself to you. To prove to you I am a loyal son. I promise I won't let you down."

All of a sudden there was an unbearable sharp pain in his chest. His good hand went to his chest holding it tightly to him. He was now in a ball of pain, and a scream ripped from within him. Everything around him was forgotten, until finally, darkness claimed him.

* * *

Katara didn't know what to do. She had been puzzled when Zuko mentioned his Father, as though he had been right there. She had begun to think that she had heard him wrong. But when she looked at him and saw his eyes glazed over like glass, and then saw him bow to her speaking as though she were his Father, it hit her. He was hallucinating.

Katara had frantically gone through her memories trying to figure out what to do. She remembered seeing that glassy look before, a long time ago. Then she remembered. GranGran had helped care for one of the tribesmen after the second raid, the one that found her Mother dead. At one point he had become so sick that his eyes glassed over and he began seeing things. At one point he had seen GranGran as an old friend of his long gone. GranGran played along and acted exactly as his friend, motioning for both Katara and her brother to keep quiet and out of site. GranGran later explained that during such a time people are at their weakest and its they bodies way of letting out what troubles them and anything that kept trapped deep inside. She told them that when faced with someone going through such a state, one must act the part that the other see them as. It helps with the healing process. But you have to be careful because you could cause a lot of harm too.

Fortunately for GranGran, she knew about both sides, their relationship and the situation being addressed at the time. But Katara on the other hand, knew nothing. And with the reaction to her question, she was doing more harm than any good. For now Zuko was bowing down to her – well his Father – again, but not before she saw the tears.

Katara, not knowing what to do, just stood there wishing her GranGran was there to help. She did decide that the best thing was for her to stay silent. Though this didn't seem to work either, for Zuko was getting worse.

Katara had never seen Zuko like this before. He always seemed so strong, determined, stubborn, headstrong and haughty. And yet here he was broken in front of her - weak, begging and unable to stop crying. The next moment he was crunched in a tight ball screaming in pain. And then he was deathly still, not a sound uttered from him.

Katara continued to stare at him, but this time in horror. She thought he had just died on her and it was her fault. But what could she have done?

She cautiously went over to where Zuko laid still in a ball. She bent down next to him. He looked so deathly pale. When she gently touched his cheek, she was relieved to feel it hot. Yes he was still running the fever, and it had gotten worse, but at least he was still alive.

Katara gently moved him so he was lying on his back again. She figured it would be much more comfortable than scrunched up in a ball. And after what she had just learned about him, she wanted to make him feel as comfortable as possible.

Katara thought about what had just happened as she stared at the boy lying before her. She had always thought that the Prince had an easy life and that capturing the Avatar was really just a game to him and perhaps a way to increase his so called honour and ranking. Perhaps even another title. But after the ordeal, she wasn't so sure anymore. Perhaps Zuko was actually a regular human being. Perhaps under that stubborn and arrogant side was a boy just wanting to be accepted, who just wanted to be loved. She was beginning to think that perhaps the reason Zuko was the way he was, was because he was never shown love, and therefore didn't know how to give it. Perhaps he didn't even know what a real family was like.

She gently stroked his cheek with the back of her fingers. It felt so soft to her. He looked so fragile lying there with his skin so pale. He looked as though he could break easily, like a new born baby. Her heart went out to him and she gently kissed his hot forehead.

Katara's stomach rumbled which made her realize how hungry she was. So she got up and walked over to the pond. She knew she couldn't leave the cave to look for food, not with Zuko still being unconscious and the chain only going so far. But she hoped that she would be able to find some fish in the pond – that is if she could reach it before running out of chain.

Upon reaching the ponds edge, she scanned it for any signs of life. Unfortunately, there was non to be found. But Katara kept her gaze on the pond, it seemed to bring her a calming peace which washed over her. The bubbling center of the pond (which Katara knew to be the sign of an underground spring) created the calming ripples which found their way to the pond's edge. Then her gaze drifted to the cave walls where pattern's of light bounced off the pond to play on the walls around her. She laid down on her back and watched as the light patterns seemed to dance and at the center, the pattern was ever changing as though in a mad dance. She laid there watching it for awhile before finally getting back up again.

She looked over to where Zuko laid unconscious, and realized that now would be a good time to care for his wounds the best she could with what was available to her. At least while he was unconscious, he couldn't fight her over it, and make it harder for her to take care for him.

First she wanted to know how the water was for drinking. With there being a natural spring, there was more chances of it being very fresh and good for drinking. And sure enough, when she cupped her hands into the pond, she was glad to feel how cold the water was. Katara took a sip from the water she had captured within her cupped hands. She never tasted such refreshing water. It flowed throughout her body giving her an energy she didn't realize she had, the water was that refreshing and cold. She knew the water was perfect for Zuko. As soon as he woke, she would have him drink some of the pond water. She was sure it would help him.

Then she looked around the cave for something she could use for a bowl. She didn't want to dirty their drinking water with blood and dirt. But she knew if she couldn't find something, she would have too. Katara knew Zuko's wounds needed attending too, and that they should have not been left for so long.

She searched as far as the chain would permit her. And although she didn't find anything representing a bowl (which she could take over to the pond to fill up), she did find a substitute. She had found a small dip in the rock floor not far from the pond. She could fill this up with water cupped in her hands, and she would use this for cleaning their wounds and such.

So Katara spent a lot of time filling up the dip with water from the pond. It was a long process with only being able to transfer as much as her cupped hands could carry. By the time she was finished, Zuko was already awake and watching her.

Zuko managed to get himself into a sitting position as Katara brought him some water from the cave pond. When she reached him, she was relieved to see that his eyes were no longer like glass.

"Here, drink this." Katara said as she lowered her cupped hands so that he could drink the cold water they held within. "It's water from the pond. It's really cold and should help revive you some."

Zuko bent his head down and drank the water offered to him without so much as a word.

Katara could feel the heat coming off him as it began warming her hands, which were numb from her earlier task of transferring the water.

"Do you feel a little better?" Katara asked Zuko, when he finished.

Zuko gave a small nod in response.

This worried Katara. Zuko wasn't very responsive and very quiet. This was not like him at all. There was no trace of anger that always seemed to be upon his face. All that there was, was a child broken and drained of all life. This scared her. She couldn't imagine how she could survive with him gone. After all, she couldn't drag his body all on her own while they were still sharing the same chain. There would be no leaving the cave for food or anything.

Food. That's right. Now that Zuko was awake, it was time to venture out of the cave to the river for some fish, and anything else they could find for food and supplies.

"Come on Zuko" Katara tried to help him up. "We need to get some food."

And once again, without so much as a word, Zuko did as he was bid. Well at least as much as one could, being as sick and injured as he was.

And so they started their journey out of the cave and in search of some food.

* * *

0000000000 0000000000 0000000000 0000000000

* * *

I am so sorry for the wait on this chapter and I shall not let that happen again. But there was a lot going on, what with my brother moving out and getting married. I haven't been able to work on any of my projects until recently.

Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter (it was becoming pretty long so I decided to break it down into smaller chapters). Please, leave a comment on what you think of it. I would love to hear from all of you. Thank you.


End file.
